Refuse vehicle



y 2, 1957 D. G. PALMER ET L 7 3,317,067

REFUSE VEHICLE Filed June 1, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet l III ENms Gov PALMER KENNETH Les-LIE mERTHER B Wm amma, (1%

May 2, 1967 PALMER ET AL REFUSE VEHICLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 1, 1964 MNEru-rulls DENN S GUY PALMER KENNETH LESLIE MERTHER g, Mo m0 Qmztafimw 9%.

y 2, 1967 D. G. PALMER ET AL 3,317,067

REFUSE VEHICLE Filed June 1, 1964 I 5 sheets-sheet 5 DENNIS Guy PALMER KENNETH LESLIE [MERTHER United States Patent any P Filed June 1, 1964, Ser. No. 371,645 laims priority, application Great Britain, June 4, 1963,

22,073/ 63 9 Claims. (Cl. 214-519) This invention relates to refuse vehicles, and is particularly concerned with a refuse vehicle in which the refuse is crushed prior to storage in a body of the vehicle.

This invention consists in a refuse vehicle comprising a main chamber for storing refuse and located in a body of the vehicle, a secondary chamber to accept refuse, and means for crushing refuse and displacing crushed refuse from the secondary chamber into the main chamber, characterised in that said means comprises a first reciprocable member for crushing refuse in the secondary chamber, and a second reciprocable member for displacing crushed refuse int-o the main chamber, the first and second members being alternately operable to crush and dis-place refuse respectively.

A typical example of the practical realisation of the invention is now described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of part of a rufuse vehicle;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation of the vehicle shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURES 3 and 4 are diagrammatic sectional elevations takenapproximately along the line 111111 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a section similar to FIGURE 4 but omitting certain parts for better showing of the mounting of the crushing and displacing members hereinafter described; t 1

FIGURE 6 isa fragmentary section taken along the line VI-V I in FIGURE 5.

Referring initially to FIGURES 1 and 2, a refuse vehicle 10 comprises a body 11 having its rear end closed by a housing 12 of a refuse crushing and displacing means. The housing 12 can be swung clear of the end of the body 11 for emptying of the body 11, by means comprising cables 13 and pivoted links 14; The housing 12 is provided with an opening 15 in its side remote from the body 11, said opening 15 being bounded along its lower edge by a rubber covered sill 16, and giving access to a secondary chamber 17.

Referring now to FIGURES 3 to 6 the secondary chamber 17 communicates through a permanently open aperture 18 with a main chamber 19 defined within the body 11 and serving to store refuse which has been displaced through the aperture 18 after being first received and crushed in the secondary chamber 17.

The refuse crushing and displacing means referred to above comprises a first member 20, hereinafter referred to as a crushing member, which is reciprocable to crush refuse, and a second member 21, hereinafter referred to as a displacing member, which is reciprocable to displace refuse through the aperture 18. Adjacent each side of the members 20 and 21 the crushing member 20 is pivoted at 22 to a first end of a rocking lever 23 and the displacing member 21 is connected at 25 to a link 24 coupled at 26 to a second end of the same rocking lever 23. Thus the members 20 and 21 are interconnected by two rocking levers 23 and two links 24.

The rocking levers 23 are rigidly interconnected by a main shaft 27, about the axis of which the levers 23 can rock, and a cross bar 28. The shaft 27 and cross bar ice 28 project laterally beyond the levers 23' and have their ends fixed to triangular plates 29 located one adjacent each lateral side of the secondary chamber 17. The plates 29 are disposed in cavities adjacent the lateral sides of the housing 12 and are each pivotally connected to the piston of a corresponding hydraulic ram 30. The end of the cylinder of each ram 30 remote from the corresponding plate 29 is pivoted to a spigot 31 fixed to a strengthening member 32 extending across the housing 12.

The crushing member 20 is reciprocable over a curved path which, if extended, would intersect the path of movement of the displacing member 21 approximately perpendicularly. During reciprocation of member '20 its lower edge 33 slides over the curved uppermost surface 34 of a generally triangular-section barrier 35 extending across the secondary chamber 17. In addition the curved extended upper surface 36 of the member 20 slides beneath a seal 37 preventing refuse from escaping from the secondary chamber 17 with retraction of the crushing member 20.

The displacing member 21 is reciprocable over a rec tilinear path and has an extended flat upper surface 38 which slides beneath the barrier 35 whilst the member 21 slides upon a strong plate assembly 39 which forms a floor of the secondary chamber 17.

Referring in particular to FIGURES 5 and 6, the members 20 and 21 are guided by pairs of curved guides 40 and straight guides 41 respectively. The guides 40 and 41 are of V-section and coact with rollers having V- section peripheral surfaces mounted on the members 20 and 21. In the case of the displacing member 20 a roller 42 engages each guide 40* and is located in a cage 43 fixed to the first member 20 via a spigot 44 so that the cage can pivot freely about an axis perpendicular both to the axis of rotation of the roller 42 and to the vertical plane containing the guide 40 to allow the roller 42 to follow the curvature of the guide 40. The displacing member 21 moves in a straight line determined by its roller 45 being located in a cage 46 fixed to themember 21. The roller 45 is disposed so as to trail slightly behind the pivot point 25 during displacing crushed refuse. FIGURE 6, in particular, shows the relationship between member '21, roller 45, and guide 41, and this relationship is similar to that between member 20, roller 42 and guide 40. In FIGURE 6 the pivot point 25 is also shown, the link 24 being omitted for clarity.

The operation of the refuse crushing and displacing means will now be described with particular reference to FIGURES 3 and 4 by following a cycle of operation commencing with the members 20 and 21 in the positions shown in FIGURE 3.

Refuse is tipped into the secondary chamber 17 through the opening 15 whereupon the rams 30 are operated to retract their piston rods. This causes the plates 29 to be swung about the axis of the main shaft 27 so as to cause rotation of the main shaft 27 and swinging of the cross bar 28 about said axis. Consequently the rocking levers 23 are actuated to effect retraction of the displacing member 21 through the links 24, and extension of the crushing member 20 through the pivot point 22. The front face of the member 20 approximately follows the curvature of the guides 40 to push the refuse downwardly over the surface 34 of. the barrier 35.

.As the crushing member 20 approaches the limit of its extension, as shown in FIGURE 4, the displacing member has retracted to enable the member 20 to crush the refuse against the floor 139 of the secondary chamber. The actuation of the rams 30 is now reversed to rock the levers 2 3 in the opposite direction and so return the member 20 towards the position of FIGURE 4 and ree sidual resilience in the refuse after crushing is utilised in assisting the initial part of this return. As the return takes place the displacing member 21 is extended by the links 24 towards the aperture 18 as shown in FIGURE 3 so as to displace crushed refuse through said aperture into the main chamber 19.

This displacement of crushed refuse takes place at an angle of approximately 45 to the horizontal because it has been found that this causes successive batches of crushed refuse displaced into the main chamber 19 to ascend the inclined face of the refuse already in position, and then drop beyond said present refuse. By achieving this action the majority of the main chamber 19 can be filled with crushed refuse. It is also found that the refuse conveniently bridges the aperture 18 between the displacement of successive batches of refuse through the aperture 18. a

The rocking levers 23 are designed to apply the required differing efforts to the members 20 and 21, the leverage applied to the member 20 being less than that applied to the member 21, and the length of path of the member .20 being greater than that of the member 21. This is produced by locating the pivot points 2-2 at greater distances from the axis of the main shaft 27 than those of the pivot points 26. In addition the links 24 and levers 23 are arranged so that the effort applied to the second member 21 gradually increases during displacing refuse, terminating in the toggle effect shown in FIGURE 3 to apply great force finally to displace the refuse through the aperture 18. Thus the secondary chamber 17 is permanently open for the receipt of refuse, and the rams 30 are cyclically operated continually to crush and displace refuse alternately on successive strokes of the rams The refuse vehicle described above has the advantages over previously known refuse vehicles that, by using individual crushing and displacing members, the individual forces required for crushing and displacing can be readily applied to these members. Furthermore, the crushing and displacing members can be readily connected together by rocking levers so as to be alternately operable on successive strokes of a common ram system. This provides a particularly neat and efficient refuse crushing and displacing means which is also economical as regards power used.

We claim.

1. A refuse vehicle comprising a body having a main chamber and a secondary chamber, a first reciprocable member mounted on the body for crushing refuse in the secondary chamber, a second reciprocable member mounted on the body for displacing crushed refuse from the secondary chamber into the main chamber, guide means constraining said first member to move in a curved path, guide means constraining the second member to move in a straight path, each of said guide means comprising V-section guides mounted on the body and rollers complementary with said guides mounted on said first and second members, with each roller on said first memher being located in a cage free to pivot about an axis perpendicular to both the axis of rotation of the roller and to the plane containing the guide engaged by said roller, and with each roller on said second member being located in a cage fixed to said second member, and means connected to the first and second members for operating said members approximately in quadrature when crushing and displacing respectively.

2. A refuse vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the secondary chamber has communication with the main chamber through a permanently open aperture through which crushed refuse is displaced by the second memher.

3. A refuse vehicle comprising:

(a) a body having a main chamber and a secondary chamber, the latter having an opening for the deposition of Ififuse into the secondary chamber,

(b) a first order lever fulcrummed on the body,

(c) means for rocking said lever,

(d) a crushing member pivotally connected to said lever on one side of the lever fulcrum, whereby the crushing member'is reciprocable via the lever to crush refuse in the secondary chamber, and

(e) a displacing member pivotally connected to said lever on the opposite side of the lever fulcrum to that of the crushing member, whereby said displacing member is reciprocable via the lever to displace refuse crushed by the crushing member from the secondary chamber into the main chamber,

(f) the pivotal connection to the lever of the crushing member being spaced further from the lever fulcrum than the pivotal connection to the lever of the displacing member, whereby the latter is moved with lesser displacement and greater power application than the crushing member.

4. A refuse vehicle as recited in claim 3, wherein the means for rocking the lever comprises at least one fluid powered ram.

5. A refuse vehicle comprising:

(a) a body having a main chamber and a secondary chamber, the latter having an opening for the deposition of refuse into the secondary chamber,

(b) a first order lever fulcrummed on the body,

(c) means for rocking said lever,

(d) a crushing member pivotally connected to said lever on one side of the fulcrum, whereby the crushing member is reciprocable via the lever to crush refuse in a crushing zone of the secondary chamber,

(e) a first guide means constraining the crushing member during reciprocation thereof,

(f) a displacing member pivotally connected to the lever on the opposite side of the fulcrum to that of the crushing member, whereby the displacing member is reciprocable via the lever, and

(g) second guide means constraining the displacing member during reciprocation thereof,

(h) said first and second guide means being relatively disposed so that the paths of the crushing and displacing members intersect substantially at right angles,

(i) said displacing member having a displacing face spaced from the lever at a distance such that the displacing face sweeps across the whole crushing zone of the secondary chamber in a displacing operation to directly displace crushed refuse into the main chamber, and

(j) the pivotal connection to said lever of the crushing member being spaced further from the lever fulcrum than the pivotal connection to the lever of the displacing member, whereby the latter is moved with less displacement and greater power application than the crushing member.

6. A refuse vehicle as claimed in claim 5, comprising a link interposed between and pivotally connected to both the lever and the displacing member, to space the latter from the lever.

7. A refuse vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein the secondary chamber has communication with the main chamber through a permanently open aperture through which crushed refused is displaced by the displacing member.

8. A refuse vehicle comprising:

(a) a body having a main chamber and a secondary chamber, the latter having an opening for the deposition of refuse in the secondary chamber,

(b) a first order lever fulcrummed on the body,

(0) means for rocking said lever,

(d) a crushing member pivotally connected to said lever on one side of the fulcrum, whereby the crushing member is reciprocable via the lever to crush refuse in the secondary chamber,

(e) first guide means for constraining the crushing member to move in a curved path and comprising:

(i) a plurality of curved V-section guides mounted on the body,

(ii) a plurality of rollers, each for engagement with a respective guide, and

(iii) a plurality of cages each housing a respective roller and each pivotally mounted on the crushing member abount an axis perpendicular both to the axis of rotation of the respective roller and to the plane containing the respective guide, to permit the roller to follow the curvature of the respective guide,

(f) a displacing member pivotally connected to the lever on the opposite side of the fulcrum to that of the crushing member, whereby the displacing member is reciprocable to displace refuse crushed by the crushing member from the secondary chamber into the main chamber, and

(g) second guide means for constraining the displacing member to move in a straight line comprising:

(i) a plurality of straight V-section guides mounted on the body.

(ii) a plurality of rollers, each for engagement with a respective guide, and

(iii) a plurality of cages each housing a respective roller and each fixed to the displacing member,

(h) the pivotal connection to said lever of the crushing member being spaced further from the lever fulcrum than the pivotal connection to the lever of the displacing member, whereby the latter is moved with less displacement and greater power application than the crushing member.

9. In a refuse vehicle or the like having a body providing a main chamber connected by an opening to a secondary chamber that contains means for crushing refuse and displacing the crushed refuse through said opening into said main chamber, said means comprising a relatively stationary floor in said secondary chamber adjacent said opening, a rocking lever, a refuse crushing member pivotally connected to said lever and guided on said body for movement in a path toward said floor, a refuse displacing member pivotally connected to said lever and guided on said body for movement in an intersecting path along said floor, a reciprocable power driven ram pivotally connected to said lever intermediate the pivotal connections of said members to said lever so that movement of said ram in one direction rocks said lever in one direction to move said crushing member to engage and crush refuse against said floor and moves said displacing member along said floor out of the path of said crushing member, and movement of said ram in the other direction oppositely rocks said lever to move said crushing member away from said floor and moves said displacing member to engage and push crushed refuse along said floor through said opening.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,767,867 10/1956 Wood 214-503 X 2,816,50Q 12/1957 Eismann -233 X 2,961,105 11/1960 Shubin 214-833 GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

ALBERT J. MAKAY, Examiner, 

1. A REFUSE VEHICLE COMPRISING A BODY HAVING A MAIN CHAMBER AND A SECONDARY CHAMBER, A FIRST RECIPROCABLE MEMBER MOUNTED ON THE BODY FOR CRUSHING REFUSE IN THE SECONDARY CHAMBER, A SECOND RECIPROCABLE MEMBER MOUNTED ON THE BODY FOR DISPLACING CRUSHED REFUSE FROM THE SECONDARY CHAMBER INTO THE MAIN CHAMBER, GUIDE MEANS CONSTRAINING SAID FIRST MEMBER TO MOVE IN A CURVED PATH, GUIDE MEANS CONSTRAINING THE SECOND MEMBER TO MOVE IN A STRAIGHT PATH, EACH OF SAID GUIDE MEANS COMPRISING V-SECTION GUIDES MOUNTED ON THE BODY AND ROLLERS COMPLEMENTARY WITH SAID GUIDES MOUNTED ON SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS, WITH EACH ROLLER ON SAID FIRST MEMBER BEING LOCATED IN A CAGE FREE TO PIVOT ABOUT AN AXIS PERPENDICULAR TO BOTH THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF THE ROLLER AND TO THE PLANE CONTAINING THE GUIDE ENGAGED BY SAID ROLLER, AND WITH EACH ROLLER ON SAID SECOND MEMBER BEING LOCATED IN A CAGE FIXED TO SAID SECOND MEMBER, AND MEANS CONNECTED TO THE FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS FOR OPERATING SAID MEMBERS APPROXIMATELY IN QUADRATURE WHEN CRUSHING AND DISPLACING RESPECTIVELY. 